North Carolina
A high-level overview of immigration enforcement activity, school protection policies, and resources for families and educators in North Carolina.
Overview
State context
North Carolina has a mixed posture on immigration enforcement. Several counties — particularly in the western and Piedmont regions — have entered 287(g) agreements with ICE. However, Charlotte and other urban areas have taken more welcoming stances. The state legislature has moved toward requiring cooperation with immigration enforcement in recent sessions.
ICE activity
ICE is active across North Carolina. Mecklenburg County (Charlotte) previously had an aggressive 287(g) program, which was curtailed. Alamance County and several other counties maintain 287(g) agreements. The meatpacking and agricultural industries in eastern and western NC employ many immigrant workers.
School policies
No statewide school protection policy. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and some other urban districts have informally worked to support immigrant families, but no formal warrant-based policies are widely in place. The state's mixed political environment limits formal policy adoption.
Notes for advocates
North Carolina has one of the most rapidly growing Latino immigrant populations in the country. Communities in the Triad (Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point) and in the poultry processing corridor have large immigrant school populations. The state is a key organizing target for advocates given its scale and the lack of formal protections.
Is your district protected?
Find out whether your school district has a warrant-based policy in place, and what you can do if it doesn't.